I haven't gotten to the pics yet, believe it or not. It may be why I don't patronise Denny's.

Also, I got tired of the hard Barnes & Noble tables and decided to come outside to my pool to read it (88F outside). When I walked in, I asked the attendant in a smiley-faced way -- Where is the Palin autobiography, please?

The shop assistant, a heavily pockmarked effeminate man, had turned to say hello to me at first, but the moment I asked the question, he turned back to what he was doing, and without lifting his head, said, "Customer Service". No may I show yous; no goodbyes; no nothing.

Okay. I get it.

The book was on a trolley as yet unshelved. Can you believe that? No hoopla for the year's best-selling book next to Dan Brown's latest clunker. A little old Cuban lady asked me when I passed by holding my copy, "Oh! PAHLEN! Where book?" So I personally escorted her to the trolley. Maybe she too was going to concentrate on the pics.

But see. I could work for Barnes & Noble, except I'm too right-wing and pleasant for them.

This Palin vibe is a lot like seeing Kit Carson come to DC. The question to be asked is can she stand the politics of DC? IMO if she can successfully stand up to the Attack Media blitzkreig, then she will do OK in the White House for her eight years. Who knows, she may keep Hillary on as Sec'y of State.

Now, now. Consider how brave I am to *admit* that I don't want to be seen in Madison buying the book. Since, everyone who reads the blog can see that I'm buying the book... oh, I'm not explaining conundrums!

You are the Dixie Chicks in England, hating on President Bush because whilst you know your criticism will get back to America, you are not in America at the moment, and maybe the people who really matter, won't be paying attention...and I claim my five pounds.

The critics all seem surprised at how well written it is for a red neck's wing nut diatribe. Could the Princess of Alaska actually be a smart communicator? Telling the truth is always so much easier and more readable than the usual fairy tales we have sent our way by the political image makers. That means that Palin is a better image maker than all the rest using as material the real life and experiences of her 20 year career. No cherry trees or coin throws across the Potomac as yet.

"I think any sane person in Alaska would have appropriate clothing to put on when the true cold descends. Why would someone have to resort to duct tape, other than bad planning?"

I am not an expert in cold weather survival, so I don't know. But it is possible that that is the best way to prevent frost bite. It wouldn't be the first time that an off the shelf product like duct tape or WD 40 solves a problem better than the products designed to solve it do. So, no I don't think you can automatically say it was the result of bad planning.

Duct tape on the face. Why? Unprepared for the weather? I'm guessing he was dog sledding in the wilderness and perhaps some equipment was lost. Benefit of the doubt on that issue.

Now, what would duct tape do for frostbite? Heat transfer curves show that a very small amount of insulation actually increases the rate of heat transfer. Many electrical devices used to insulate internal wiring for that purpose. I would guess that one layer of duct tape is very close to have that increased heat transfer rate.

But there are three modes of heat transfer that Todd would experience; radiation, conduction, and convection.

The duct tape might increase the heat transfer from the radiant energy of the sun. It's kind of a dark color, so that's plausible.

Many layers of duct tape would certainly help insulate his nose from conductive heat transfer. Only one layer would probably not be of a lot of value.

Convection would likely be less if the duct tape was formed to keep the wind from his nose. That is, if he had a good vapor barrier between the tape and his nose and their was air space around his nose with no air being able to enter or exit that space, or only exit when he breathed out, then he'd be well off.

In fact, this latter method would probably work really well. Air is an excellent insulator, but having warm air from your nose filling a small air pocket around your nose would be an excellent protection from frost bite. I don't have the picture, but if that's what he was doing, then it's a pretty clever trick in a pinch.

Sarah Palin's memoir Going Rogue: An American Life has garnered attention in part because of the number of copies sold before publication. But the book has been offered at below-cost prices from major online retailers, and Newsmax has used the book as a loss leader to promote its magazine, potentially inflating the book's sales.

If you feel embarrassed about a book you're buying, just buy another quite different book with it to keep 'em guessing and make it harder for people to label and judge you.

With political books, that should be easy for a moderate centrist. Someone who's truly right-wing should look forward to the opportunity to annoy people with his/her book purchases.

But, yeah, I wouldn't wanna be seen today even browsing the Palin book, because others could reasonably assume you're something worse than a righty. Most of the people rushing out to buy that book today are, in fact, morons.

Would Althouse feel weird to show her face purchasing a book by a conservative author she didn't find dumb?

BTW, does Palin really say this in her book: Elsewhere in this volume, she talks about creationism, saying she “didn’t believe in the theory that human beings — thinking, loving beings — originated from fish that sprouted legs and crawled out of the sea” or from “monkeys who eventually swung down from the trees.”

Please tell me she's merely talking about what she believed when she was a little kid.

Also... it's a fact that some book stores can be overtly hostile places for conservatives. IME, the "independent" ones that we're morally obligated to assist against the dread big box mega stores are the worst of them all.

Like many people who enjoy reading I've dreamed of what my own books store would be like; mentally designed the building, chosen decorations, decided if I'd have a book store cat or not, and ordered inventory.

No one would be uncomfortable coming to my store... not even those who are allergic to cats. ;-)

Synova: I was ASKING if she really said that, and even tried to be generous and wondered if the past tense of the quote meant she no longer believed that. The passage I quoted is from the NY Times review.

Synova said..."Smart enough to hire an excellent professional writer to collaborate."

Her partner in this mess is a homophobic, fundamentalist wing nut who also wrote a book touting the wonderful accomplishments of another nutcase, Gen. William Boykin, who felt the war in Iraq was more of a Christian crusade than an effort to free the Iraqis or instill democratic principals. (Even G.W. distanced himself from this yahoo.)

And, for anyone to tout Princess Sarah as being "smart enough to hire an excellent professional writer to collaborate," the Princess evidently didn't feel the need to give the woman much of the credit:

"It's customary for politicians and celebrities to collaborate with a professional writer on books like this, particularly when they're produced on a tight deadline, as "Going Rogue" was, and the publisher has a multimillion-dollar advance on the table, as Rupert Murdoch's HarperCollins reportedly does with this volume. However, the name of Palin's collaborator -- the evangelical Christian writer and pro-life activist Lynn Vincent -- doesn't appear on the cover of "Going Rogue."

Palin's first acknowledgment goes to . . . herself, only finally acknowledging her "collaborator" three paragraphs later, after she's thanked her lawyer Robert Barnett and five HarperCollins executives and editors, with Vincent's name mentioned along with several others."(Tim Rutten)

Synova - "Jeremy dropped a horrible terrible "creationist" quote on the blog here yesterday that quoted Palin saying that she believed in evolution and an evolutionary process."

This is exactly what she said...in her own book:

(Describing a conversation with McCain's campaign manager):

But your dad's a science teacher," Schmidt objected. "Yes." "Then you know that science proves evolution," added Schmidt. "Parts of evolution," I said. "But I believe that God created us and also that He can create an evolutionary process that allows species to change and adapt." Schmidt winced and raised his eyebrows. In the dim light, his sunglasses shifted atop his head. I had just dared to mention the C-word: creationism. But I felt I was on solid factual ground.

So we're to believe God (which one?) created "parts of evolution" (which parts...the ones she believes in or the ones scientists believe in?) and therefore, creationism must be based "on solid factual ground?"

You can spin this drivel any way you want, but anyone who's ever taken a basic science course knows it's nothing more than Princess Sarah sucking up to her fundamentalist base.

Oh, now the righties are praising her for picking a ghost writer? Wouldn't a real conservative wish we could have leaders who were capable of writing their own stuff and writing it well? You know, like our founding fathers?

A couple of years ago I went to Borders looking for Paul Johnson's "History of the American People" and the clerk (an androgynous troll) told me I would be better off buying Zinn. Last time in Borders.

I think any sane person in Alaska would have appropriate clothing to put on when the true cold descends. Why would someone have to resort to duct tape, other than bad planning?

Todd Palin is a champion snow sled racer in Alaska. He's also experienced at working on Alaska's north slope. I suspect he knows quite a bit more about preventing frostbite than any of us. It's rather presumptious of you when you lack his experience at dealing with truly severe cold conditions at high speed exposed to the elements.

I don't know about anyone else, but when I ordered the book through Amazon (pre-, but just recently), I got a delivery date of Nov. 19 (and I'm a Prime member, heavy Amazon shopper who usually gets even 2-day stuff overnight). I think they weren't able to ship it in advance enough for arrival on today's release date. So anyone who wanted to have the book *the!very!first!day!* of its release would need to nab it in a bookstore.

That could all be wrong, of course, but I'm guessing that's the case.

Also, I suspect some people would prefer to get it in a bookstore, or have someone get it in a bookstore, to gauge reactions & etc.

I did use the Amazon link at this blog to order the book, by the way, simply because I'd written that I would do so, quite a while ago. (While I was at it, I also ordered "Changing My Mind:Occasional Essays" and "Donbas: A True Story of an Escape Across Russia."

You are such an unbelievable ignoramous. Believing that God was the driving force behind evolution, is as about as mainstream of theistic thinking as you can get. That is a far cry from thinking the world was literally created in six days. I dare say it is the position of most thinking people who don't have a hard on for atheism or are not still recoving from the beatings the nuns gave them as a child.

I really wish there was an ignore function so people could ignore your posts and not be tempted to engage you. You give liberals a bad name.

What's WITH my dropping end parenthesis today? I've been doing it all day, online and off. Sheesh. I'd like to think it's just me getting used to the keyboard on my new laptop, but that's probably too self-serving.

1. Palin misrepresented the timeline of her daughter's pregnancy, saying she was surprised the McCain campaign knew about it when she'd already told vetters.

2.Palin falsely suggests she doesn't support aerial hunting. In fact, Palin supports the practice and introduced a bill in 2007 to "simplify and clarify Alaska's intensive management law... for the state's 'same day airborne hunting' law."

3. Palin claims that campaign manager Steve Schmidt called her screaming over a prank call from someone pretending to the French President, but there was no phone call.

4. Palin says Ronald Reagan faced an even worse recession and "showed us how to get out of one, but Reagan didn't get rid of the estate tax, and capital gains taxes were higher then than they are now. (Oh, and economists overwhelmingly say the current recession is far worse.)

5. She criticizes President Barack Obama for pushing through a bailout package that actually was achieved by his Republican predecessor George W. Bush – a package she seemed to support at the time.

6. She also says that she ran her campaign for governor on small donations, mostly from first-time givers, and turned back large checks from big donors if her campaign perceived a conflict of interest.

But records indicate this is bullshit: Of the roughly $1.3 million she raised for her election campaigns for governor, more than half came from people and political action committees, with maximum that individual donors could give was $1,000; $2,000 for a PAC.

7. She says her team overseeing the development of a natural gas pipeline set up an open, competitive bidding process that allowed any company to compete for the right to build a 1,715-mile pipeline to bring natural gas from Alaska to the Lower 48.

But in reality, her "team" set up rules that only a few independent pipeline companies and ultimately benefited a company with ties to her administration, TransCanada Corp.

8. The Princess says she was "resistant" to federal stimulus money, describing Alaska as a practical, libertarian haven of independent Americans who don't want "help" from government busybodies.

Of course, she neglects to mention the fact that Alaska is also one of the states most dependent on federal subsidies, receiving much more assistance from Washington than it pays in federal taxes. (A study for the nonpartisan Tax Foundation found that in 2005, the state received $1.84 for every dollar it sent to Washington.)

"Synova: I was ASKING if she really said that, and even tried to be generous and wondered if the past tense of the quote meant she no longer believed that. The passage I quoted is from the NY Times review."

Oaf... you or the NY Times can pick and chose quotes on this, but as Jeremy illustrated, Palin's view on evolution is that evolution is scientific and that an evolutionary process exists. She believes in God and that God created us and created that evolutionary process.

As someone mentioned, this is about as mainstream moderate as it's possible to get on the issue while still believing in God.

And no, Jeremy, she isn't going to insult believers who have a less moderate view or kick them under the bus.

And when Obama tells the god-botherers to eff-off... then you can complain without looking like a total idiot.

Gotta laugh at metrosexuals like Mad Man second guessing a champion snow machine racer (who once finished the last 500 miles of a race with a broken arm!!) and North Slope oil worker about the proper approach to dealing with sub zero weather. More proof, as if any was needed, that academics are generally ignoramuses outside their field of expertise but are the last to realize it.

Larry - "Todd Palin is a champion snow sled racer in Alaska. He's also experienced at working on Alaska's north slope. I suspect he knows quite a bit more about preventing frostbite than any of us."

What does that have to do with using duct tape instead of any of the many professionally created and proven methods to offset the same problem?

Are you actually saying duct tape is the preferred method?

Is there anything these yahoos do that you don't think is really, really fantastic?

I'm not an Alaskan snow sled racer. I suspect you aren't either. Todd Palin is. If his experience shows that wearing duct tape on your face reduced frostbite, I'd take his word for it over yours or anyone else who doesn't have his experience. Are you suggesting your knowledge in this matter is greater than his? Based on what, pray tell?

Sarah Palin's memoir Going Rogue: An American Life has garnered attention in part because of the number of copies sold before publication. But the book has been offered at below-cost prices from major online retailers, and Newsmax has used the book as a loss leader to promote its magazine, potentially inflating the book's sales.

Nice cut and paste, but how much does a book really “cost” anyway? It’s not at all uncommon for amazon/b&n/etc. to knock 40/50% off the cost of new books, particularly hardbacks which are ridiculously high anyway. It looks like they’ve gone further with 10 bucks or so, but even if that is below cost (which I’m not convinced of) loss leaders are hardly a new concept in retail. Nobody thinks less of the soap if it’s a loss leader. Whatever.

Synova - "Palin's view on evolution is that evolution is scientific and that an evolutionary process exists. She believes in God and that God created us and created that evolutionary process."

Her quote: "In the dim light, his sunglasses shifted atop his head. I had just dared to mention the C-word: creationism. But I felt I was on solid factual ground."

So are you saying she was making the point that "God" created the evolutionary process that includes man evolving from apes...or that "God" created some kind of evolutionary process that is really based in "creationism?"

Because, evidently Princess Sarah sure as hell doesn't know exactly what it is she really "believes."

Also from her book, in her own words she says she doesn't "believe in the theory that human beings -- thinking, loving beings -- originated from fish that sprouted legs and crawled out of the sea" or from "monkeys who eventually swung down from the trees."

So which is it, oh, wise one? An evolutionary process that doesn't really include "evolution" or a process that fits in with what she thinks her base believes?

Shanna - "Nice cut and paste, but how much does a book really “cost” anyway? It’s not at all uncommon for amazon/b&n/etc. to knock 40/50% off the cost of new books, particularly hardbacks which are ridiculously high anyway."

Nice try, but show me where they cut prices 40/50% on hardback books by popular, mainstream writers...within two days of release...and please include the locations so I can buy a few.

synova -- Jeremy's quoting from the AP story "fact-checking" the book. The bailout package referred to was Bush's bank bailout from last fall; Obama's "bailout" was not a bailout but the stimulus package.

Nice try, but show me where they cut prices 40/50% on hardback books by popular, mainstream writers...within two days of release...and please include the locations so I can buy a few.

Have you ever been to a bookstore? Barnes and Noble? Booksamillion? Target?

Seriously, people who buy books know this is true. If you ever happen to wander into a bookstore by mistake check out the "bestsellers" rack. Usually it's near the front. A clerk might be able to show it to you.

Synova: Oaf... you or the NY Times can pick and chose quotes on this, but as Jeremy illustrated, Palin's view on evolution is that evolution is scientific and that an evolutionary process exists. She believes in God and that God created us and created that evolutionary process.

Actually, the quote provided by Jeremy is not very clear to me.

The quote: But your dad's a science teacher," Schmidt objected. "Yes." "Then you know that science proves evolution," added Schmidt. "Parts of evolution," I said. "But I believe that God created us and also that He can create an evolutionary process that allows species to change and adapt."

She doesn't say that she believes humans evolved from chimpanzees. Maybe that's what she means, but she could also mean that evolution is only going on with other species and not with human beings. Or she's being intentionally unclear?

Again, the other quote: Elsewhere in this volume, she talks about creationism, saying she “didn’t believe in the theory that human beings — thinking, loving beings — originated from fish that sprouted legs and crawled out of the sea” or from “monkeys who eventually swung down from the trees.”

Those two quotes don't necessarily contradict each other.

I was just asking to see the quote from the NY Times review in context. I'm trying to be fair, and I wasn't assuming that the quote reflected her current views.

And of course, amazon routinely marks things down, usually in the 40% range, which is why it's worth buying on amazon if you're getting enough to meet the 25 bucks free shipping threashold and if you are willing to wait for something to come in the mail. It even gives you the percentage off, if you want to double check with your favorite popular author.

"Are you suggesting your knowledge in this matter is greater than his? Based on what, pray tell?"

Jeremy looks up to professionals. Professionals are always better than other people and are always right.

If this were not true, Jeremy wouldn't be so demanding that he be able to subsume his own judgment to that of others and so insistent that the worst sin possible is not to be a professional. He wouldn't be so distraught that the clear guidance of his intellectual betters, such as scientists among others, seems to be ignored.

And really, how upsetting would it be to find out that those professionals couldn't be trusted in such a simplistic way?

But worse still... how much worse is it to realize that Todd is a *professional* snow machine racer? And expert among the experts.

Bullshit, Oaf. You derided her statement as only worthy of coming from a "little kid." You were certainly not trying to be fair. Everybody here knows the difference between piss and rain, despite what so obviously believe.

LoafingOaf - If she says that she...“didn’t believe in the theory that human beings — thinking, loving beings — originated from fish that sprouted legs and crawled out of the sea” or from “monkeys who eventually swung down from the trees.”

What evolutionary process do you think she's referring to when she also says:"But I believe that God created us and also that He can create an evolutionary process that allows species to change and adapt."

I appreciate you trying to be cordial here, but anybody who doesn't get the gist of what she's saying is in deep denial.

She DOES NOT believe in the evolutionary process the world of science believes...period.

If she says that she...“didn’t believe in the theory that human beings — thinking, loving beings — originated from fish that sprouted legs and crawled out of the sea” or from “monkeys who eventually swung down from the trees.”

What evolutionary process do you think she's referring to when she also says:"But I believe that God created us and also that He can create an evolutionary process that allows species to change and adapt."

Shanna - You're out of your mind if you really think any of the stores you mention or Amazon for that matter, reduces the hardback books by mainstream writers by 40/50% within two days of release.

There is no point arguing with you if you refuse to see reality. I have bought enough books in my life to know that Bestsellers ALWAYS get knocked down at least 30% even at B&N. If it’s not a bestseller, you’re probably better off with Amazon, since they knock EVERYTHING down. Target knocks most books down 20 percent routinely. It’s not my fault if you don’t look for a bargain.

Gotta laugh at metrosexuals like Mad Man second guessing a champion snow machine racer (who once finished the last 500 miles of a race with a broken arm!!) and North Slope oil worker about the proper approach to dealing with sub zero weather.

At least he doesn't call a snowmobile a "snow machine", and also doesn't gush over another male like a love struck 16 yr old. If he was putting duct tape on his face, he didn't bring the appropriate covering for his face, or he forgot it.

No. It was a continuation of TARP to the tune of about $800 billion that was done in addition to the stimulus. Obama is just as responsible and just as supportive of TARP as Bush was. TARP is a true bi-partisian theft.

Tip: Read through all comments before replying to an assertion (e.g, "the only reason to wear duct tape is if you don't have something better") that has been debunked just a couple comments above your reply.

Regarding whether she had a ghost writer, of course she did, just like every other politician that ever "wrote" a book (except, of course, Winnie Churchill).

Hey, if William Ayers was good enough for The Zero...

traditionalguy said...

This Palin vibe is a lot like seeing Kit Carson come to DC. The question to be asked is can she stand the politics of DC?

As they used to say in the 1st Dragoons, "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?"

Kit Carson was feted as a national hero (which he was) and was rather embarassed by it all. One of the few who understood was Ned Beale's mom, who took him in and let him sleep on the front porch without giving him a hard time about how weird it would look to people.

Not picking a fight, tg, but what does that have to do with Miss Sarah and her book?

Ann Althouse said...

I wasn't going to buy it, but now, I've agreed to do a bloggingheads about it, and I need it right away.

I agree, by the way, that it is not at all out of the mainstream for Christians--even the nonfundamentalist and/or evangelical [not interchangeable terms, btw] types--to think of evolution as a process of God [as opposed to a literal interpretation of or belief in either of the two Genesis presentations].

I could probably name scores of people in my Episcopal church alone who espouse some version of that conceptualization, including more than a few college professors (in turn including some science professors), doctors, lawyers & etc.

" garage - "If he was putting duct tape on his face, he didn't bring the appropriate covering for his face, or he forgot it."

Does it surprise you that many here just-don't-get-that...or don't want to??"

Do you even read the posts you idiot? Really, are you retarded? It is just unbelievable how willfully ignorant and silly you are.

reader_iam said... You'd think people who spend so much time online, especially making assertions and counterassertions, could hone their Google and research skills. But apparently not.

From the website of the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC):

Asked if he had to perform any rescues or care for frostbite [during field work on the East Antarctic Plateau], [Safety Officer] Rob [Bauer] replied, "One person had cracked fingers from working in the cold. The best way to treat it is using Super Glue. It prevents further cracking and creates a hard surface," tapping his fingertips on the table to demonstrate. Ted added, "The two most important things to have in Antarctica are Duct tape and Super Glue." People in the field sometimes put Duct tape right on their faces to prevent frostbite. Ted speaks from experience — he had a patch of frostbite on his cheek during the first season. [Emphasis added.]

"I was just asking to see the quote from the NY Times review in context. I'm trying to be fair, and I wasn't assuming that the quote reflected her current views."

Well, I apologize, Oaf, if I assumed you were being less thoughtful than you were.

I just think that the whole "OMG OMG!!!!" thing is stupid, and says more about Schmidt than anything else. Because seriously... where has he been that he gets the vapours over the notion that God created the world and created people? Certainly this is not unheard of in contemporary culture. Finding it a shocking notion requires purposefully ignoring the world around us and certainly, for someone running or advising a political campaign, how can anyone function and be that unaware of the beliefs of a large portion of the votes they are trying to get?

It doesn't require agreement, of course, but I don't see how a campaign can function if those directing it don't understand people or respect them.

Palin got portrayed as a freaky-scary uber-fundamentalist hyper-Christian. That was political spin with little or no relationship to the truth. A thoughtful assessment has to see that. Her view of creation, that God did it, does not contradict science or evolution, even if it does certainly contradict exclusively evolutionary origins... which is really something else. Science can't even *address* the involvement or not of God and still remain Science. Science doesn't deal with that.

Are some Christians (and probably others for all I know) far more literal about Genesis? Yes, they are.

Should Palin be required to act like Schmidt toward them just to avoid creationist cooties because her actual position was misrepresented for political profit? Should she throw them under the bus?

I don't think so.

And for Althouse's benefit I'll add that not only is not doing so decent and honest, but it's also the best *politics* for her.

Some people will insist she ought to leap backward shrieking, Unclean! Unclean!

Carrying duct tape or other such products are there for one reason: emergencies when you do not have what is designed to handle the problem.

*Have you ever considered duct-taping your furniture together, instead of using wood screws? Or how about those hoses on your car's engine? Why waste the money on clamps...when you can just use duct tape?

reader - There are all kinds of "emergency" methods of relief, for all kinds of situations, but I just have the feeling that if duct tape was the preferred method...Todd or his mother would be doing cable commercials for the "Super Dooper Rogue Duct Tape" product line already.

"I heard her ghostwriter is some wackjob extremist (possibly even a racist) whose past works are riddled with errors and are held in low regard. Why'd she pick someone like that?"

Her ghostwriter is a conservative who writes, I believe, politically conservative books which OF COURSE are held in low regard by those calling her a wackjob extremist. The charges of racism, I believe, stem from her association (co-writer on a book) with Stacy McCain, who is not a racist either but who belonged to some Southern organization (IIRC, and inferred correctly from the bits and pieces I heard) that sort of went off the rails at which point he left. So it's racism by association with someone slandered as a racist continually by that LGF fellow when *he* went off the rails.

Now, why would she pick a proven conservative writer?

Or, why would she pick a proven conservative writer slandered by association instead of shunning her because someone might say something bad?

"Should Palin be required to act like Schmidt toward them just to avoid creationist cooties because her actual position was misrepresented for political profit? Should she throw them under the bus?"

I would imagine the good reverend Wright has a pretty literal view of Gensis. And that didn't stop Obama from attending his church for 20 years. Indeed, Obama has said on numerous occasions that he views marriage as a God ordaned union between man and woman or something to that effect. Yet somehow, Jeremey isn't bothered by Obama's overt religious views or the fact that Obama thinks any relationship Jeremey has is not marriage and against he will of God.

"John / Synova - When are you two getting back to us with that "God" thing?

Which "God" is it that you're constantly referring to?"

First, this is not a theological debate and even if it was, I don't have such debates with children. Second, you as usual completely miss the point. The point is that Palin's views of evolution and God are in line with the vast majority of the country. They are completely mainstream. Indeed, more mainstream than being an atheists (atheists are a small minority in this counrty). For this reason, you contention that she is some kind of religous nut, is simply untrue. If you don't believe in God, that is your business. But, believing in God and squaring that with evolution, while it may be something you disagree with, is perfectly mainstream thought in this country.

"What would you rather have on your face in sub zero temps, full face head gear, or duct tape?"

Considering that the people who are experts in this field and have experience surviving that environment say duct tape, duct tape you dumb ass. Why the fuck would you not listen to the experts in a situation like that?

Larry, the only reason someone would be using duct tape is because they didn't have something better at hand.

Get real, Dude.

Holding your cold hands under your armpits is a good method of warming, but it doesn't mean you would stop wearing gloves.

So, I'm supposed to take your word for it over an Alaskan snow sled racer who also has years of experience working on the North Slope. Yeah, right. You come across as yet another Internet Expert who pontificates on everything but lacks the experience to back up anything he says. Me, I've never done anything like racing a snow sled in Alaska or anywhere else. Should I take up such a pasttime, I'd go to people who've been doing it for a while for advice, not a blow hard like you.

Wouldn't a real conservative wish we could have leaders who were capable of writing their own stuff and writing it well? You know, like our founding fathers?

Absolutely and we INSIST that they use goose quill pens and lamp black ink.

Duct tape is often used by skiers and sledders, like Todd Palin. It isn't that unusual. We always take duct tape when camping for a lot of uses, including some medical emergencies. My first husband accidentally put a skill saw through his leg. We were able to use the tape as a temporary bandage, putting the almost severed flap of muscle back in place and tourniquet until we got to the hospital.

"Oh, and Synova; I have no idea what you base this inane comment on: "Science can't even *address* the involvement or not of God and still remain Science. Science doesn't deal with that."

Of course you don't. Because you don't understand Science. Or language.

"Not true at all. I would bet a vast majority of scientists are religious and also believe in whatever or whoever they consider to be "God."

Science is a discipline. It studies, examines, and learns about the natural world. It is based on the reproducible results of experiments. Many scientists believe in God... it doesn't mean that their vocation is a study of God or makes determinations about God, any more than the fact that they drove to work in a car makes them an engineer... and unlike religious belief systems, engineering is actually reproducible math.

John:"What would you rather have on your face in sub zero temps, full face head gear, or duct tape?"

Considering that the people who are experts in this field and have experience surviving that environment say duct tape, duct tape you dumb ass. Why the fuck would you not listen to the experts in a situation like that?

Because everything must be interpreted through the prism of PC politics, dumb fuck.

If Todd Palin is a rethug he's by definition a moron. Get it?If Al Gore was to do it, it would not only be a good survival tip it would be socially acceptable and chic. But Todd, quelle buffoon!!

It is really is an amazing sight to watch the leftist garbage pickers microexamine every Palin detail while they can't be bothered to ask where Obama's college transcipts and papers are, what happened to his Illinois senate paper work, where his full medical reports are, what his student loan papers said, what passport he used to go to Pakistan, what he actually taught at the ACORN trainings he lead, when he went to Alinsky's Training camps, why access to the video for the Khalidis' farewell party is verboten....

I dare say it is the position of most thinking people who don't have a hard on for atheism or are not still recoving from the beatings the nuns gave them as a child.

That's a pretty harsh statement, John. Creationism is certainly commonplace but even the Catholic church supports the theory of evolution, at least enough that they really don't have anything to say against it. To the Catholic church, evolution is a plausible theory and in no way detracts from the magical powers of their god. You don't have to be atheist to think creationism is absurd.

Shanna - I buy books through Amazon and other outlets, but like I said before; if you actually believe they or anyone reduces mainstream popular author's hardback books by 40/50% within days of their release you're dumber than first thought.

Right now there are books that were released in hardback up to 5 and 6 months ago that are still only reduced by 25-30%...and I guarantee they weren't dropped in price withing days.

As for the great duct tape debate: I said it before and will say it again: I have no reason to doubt it's used in emergencies or by those who find it to be a cheap and effective method, but I spent many years living in areas that were just as cold as Alaska...and duct tape was never our first line of defense.

Yes, but maybe not quite as small as you think. How many Americans are closeted atheists? It's hard to tell, because there's so much intolerance and discrimination against atheists in America. Some people prefer to keep their atheism to themselves.

former law student said... While I applaud the Meadehouse support of the declining Borders, I'm a bit surprised Althouse did not preorder one through her Amazon blog link.

I consider this a fine spur of the moment thing by the noble mate, Meade.

Perhaps he was concerned that if Ann decided to buy it in Madison at the college store, she ran the risk of sirens going off as she took the Palin book to the cashier. Her in the spotlight, and both students and store help chanting "Fascist, fascist, racist fascist!!" at her.

Meade was being protective, shielding the Prof from the PC masses.Imagine if there was a story of Althouse provoking a mini-riot by buying the 1st Palin book. Followed by a clerk's opinion..."She wasn't answering me about whether or not she was buying the book intending to discredit Palin. As a gay vegan of part native american descent - I am outraged, hurt, and angry that a Professor is actually helping enrich that unspeakable woman!"

"That's a pretty harsh statement, John. Creationism is certainly commonplace but even the Catholic church supports the theory of evolution, at least enough that they really don't have anything to say against it. To the Catholic church, evolution is a plausible theory and in no way detracts from the magical powers of their god. You don't have to be atheist to think creationism is absurd."

You misunderstood what I was saying. The mainstream position is that evolution is the mechanism in which God created man. I am not saying the literal creation is the mainstream position.

Sure she is. Faithful wife, dutiful mother -- you can't ride herd on those teenagers every moment, come on -- and she proved her executive mettle during her first 18 month stint as governor.

Now I wonder if the Palin protectors are suffering from the Halo Effect. Wikip has a good description:

The halo effect refers to a cognitive bias whereby the perception of a particular trait is influenced by the perception of the former traits in a sequence of interpretations.

Edward L. Thorndike was the first to support the halo effect with empirical research. In a psychology study published in 1920, Thorndike asked commanding officers to rate their soldiers; Thorndike found high cross-correlation between all positive and all negative traits. People seem not to think of other individuals in mixed terms; instead we seem to see each person as roughly good or roughly bad across all categories of measurement.

A study by Solomon Asch suggests that attractiveness is a central trait, so we presume all the other traits of an attractive person are just as attractive and sought after.

Shanna - I buy books through Amazon and other outlets, but like I said before; if you actually believe they or anyone reduces mainstream popular author's hardback books by 40/50% within days of their release you're dumber than first thought.

I’m not arguing with you on this anymore. I have bought many new releases for 40+% off on Amazon and 30-40 in the bookstores. The more a book sells the cheaper it is. Maybe you are not talking about best-sellers.

Right now there are books that were released in hardback up to 5 and 6 months ago that are still only reduced by 25-30%...and I guarantee they weren't dropped in price withing days.

I lived in Tahoe for years, skied every day of the season, and never once took duct tape along...INSTEAD of many other proven methods of keeping warm or protected.

Ahem. Tahoe is no where near as cold as most of Alaska. Your assertion is ludicrous. At Tahoe you are never more than an hour from hot chocolate and ski bunnies. On the races Todd Palin was on, he was out for much longer periods of time, by himself.

And we've seen that other experts have chimed in via the internet that duct tape works very well, and it's also very inexpensive.

So, it's time for you to abandon your argument. As we say in the law, you don't even have a scintilla of evidence to support it.

People generally attack that which they most fear, especially true in politics.

If Sarah Palin were simply a benign former politician with a recently-published autobiography, there would be little reason to comment.

Think Ferraro: My Story, published in 1985 to little fanfare and negligible nattering. Ferraro was harmless by that time, and the Dems would certainly never again make the mistake of having a woman on the ticket. Why even bother commenting?

This one is different. The AP assigned 26 fact checkers to vet Palin's book, a luxury of fact-checking never given to, say, An Inconvenient Truth. Networks, newspapers and bloggers have condemned the book and ridiculed the author, often before actually reading the damn book.

MSNBC ran an excerpt of today's Limbaugh interview of Palin, before Limbaugh was off the air. The excerpt was cut-and-pasted to change the tone of what Palin had said merely moments ago.

Why the attack, the ridiculing, the venom and hatred?

Because there is no one person, no single politician feared more by the left than Sarah Palin. Call her names, ridicule her syntax, make jokes about her children, do whatever is necessary to destroy her and her family. She is the greatest threat the liberals face. Period.

I'm sorry, but Jeremy still has a point. I've lived on the North Slope of Alaska. I never put duct tape on my face and I never saw anyone do it either. I think most people up there would rather live with a little bit of frostbite than walk around with duct tape on their faces.

Don't get me started on Palin being from Wasilla. It's a freakin' suburb of Anchorage for all intents and purposes. But to talk to Palin you would think it was a wilderness.

...And with as much money as Palin has, you'd think she would be paying more attention to things like the estate tax. I guess she's rich enough to let it ride on her insurance policy. One thing for certain: She should have visited Estatetaxtruth.org before she wrote her book. They put things in very simple terms (So even Palin could understand).

*I hate to ask this, but has anybody here ever actually been to the mountains or experienced the kind of weather one just might feel necessitates have something along...other than duct tape?"

Apparently a lot of people who have been sited numerous times on this thread have and they say duct tape works quite well. Also, Palin's husband is a dog sled racer in Alaska. If he didn't know what prevented frostbite, he would be dead.

People who actually go into the wilderness, look upon morons like you as endless entertainment. "No I don't need to listen to a bunch of dumb rednecks who actually live out here. I have my own equipment."

"Because there is no one person, no single politician feared more by the left than Sarah Palin."

Good lord...are you daft?

The Democrats would PAY to have this twit on the 2012 ticket.

Why in the world, do so many here, for whatever insane reason, think this woman would be better for America, than people in the GOP like Ridge, Pawlenty, Romney, and others with so much more real experience in politics, business and national security?

Are you actually saying you feel Princess Sarah would be a better representative of the GOP or even as an Independent than so many others?

And if so...what would you possible be basing that on?

Being the mayor of a tiny city in Alaska and the Governor of a state that has literally no real impact on the nation's well being...then quitting before even finishing up the term she was elected to?

The Halo thing is a possibility, FLS, so long as we also can posit that it works both ways and explains why those who decided they didn't like her can not separate good traits from bad but see them as all bad.

I do think, though, that a lot of her defenders are primarily reacting to the really hateful and unfounded criticisms of her.

For example... is she brilliant? Probably not. Is the yet again repeated notion that she doesn't read at all, based on a Couric interview as if Palin doesn't even exist outside of that event, the dumbest most unfounded remark possible? Yes, it is.

Tell you what: I'm pretty familiar with wilderness and cold weather. If Duct Tape works for Todd, okay by me. I never tried it. Suspect, if he used it he taped over some other insulating materials. My preference would be for a face mask of the foldable type, were I to venture our on something like a sub-zero windy day....wool felt versions have been around since WWII...GI issue in fact. Not hard to acquire.

Don't know why you take such joy in trying to push people into either/or positions, Jeremy, but whatever floats your boat.

For the my part, I, for the most part, live in a world of "and's"; it's highly unlikely there's a person alive who can forcibly push me out of it, given the track record of people--especially in real life--who have tried and failed.

Dear Jeremy...just how do I become a wingnut from my inference about Obama when not in context with my remark about Palin? The former has never actually had a real executive job, the latter has never failed to quit the two statewide ones she had.

Now I may be right leaning these days, tilting away from Democrat, oh, about 2004 when the "Winter soldier" was nominated, but "Wing Nut" doesn't quite fit.

Edutcher...sorry for any confusion about Kit Carson image connected to sarah Palin. Kit was the mountain man scout who used his extensive experience in Indian country and Mexican areas to almost single handedly conquer most of the South West for his employer, the US Army. He never understood the way DC saw things in the west...and that is a compliment to his realism.Sarah has the real viewpoint, unknown in DC, as to how to drill for our oil and gas without Faux environmental illusions stopping commerce.I do want her to come to terms with DC without it crushing her sense of real and unreal. I am betting that she will come thru successfully.

No, pack a roll of duct tape along for the ride and forget about wasting money on all of that other silly gear."

Jeremy... you're embarrassing other liberals. I mean seriously... Here you are, arguing against going out in a blizzard in duct tape skivvies? I suppose the blatant misrepresentation is because you can't win any other way?

And yeah... did you know that 40 below is 40 below Celsius and Fahrenheit both? Bragging on Tahoe as experience with "cold" just shows how little experience you have. Ever *been* frostbit? Want to know how it feels as it heals?

I'm sorry, but Jeremy still has a point. I've lived on the North Slope of Alaska. I never put duct tape on my face and I never saw anyone do it either. I think most people up there would rather live with a little bit of frostbite than walk around with duct tape on their faces.

He wasn’t walking to and from the car with duct tape, he was dog sledding. From the link, it sounds like they wear goggles and wrap it around the places that air leaks in, which although I have never lived anywhere that cold and never plan to, sounds eminently sensible. I remember hearing something about how long you could be outside in certain temperatures (a certain number below zero) without getting frostbitten if your whole face wasn’t covered.

I haven't read the other comments but I can't be the only reader who finds it confusing, to say the least, that you're willing to broadcast your purchase of Palin's book to the entire world via the Internet, but reluctant to run the risk that one of your real-world neighbors might see you with it in the bookstore. What is that all about?

Shanna - "He wasn’t walking to and from the car with duct tape, he was dog sledding."

That's true, but again: Are YOU saying this is preferred method, versus having the properly designed gear along? YOU yourself (or even the people touting the duct tape) would forgo clothing and protective gear, designed for sledding, racing, skiing, etc...and use duct tape instead??

Absolutely ridiculous.

Just for the hell of it, tell me how someone with a full beard would deal with the duct taping of their face?

I've lived on the North Slope of Alaska. I never put duct tape on my face and I never saw anyone do it either. I think most people up there would rather live with a little bit of frostbite than walk around with duct tape on their faces.

I don't think that the issue is just walking around with duct tape. Todd Palin is a snow machine/sled racer and as such is subject to extreme temperatures for extended lengths of time and also wind chill.

I would assume that the people who participate in this sport know what works best.

Jeremy, you're getting past ridiculous. Who said it was preferred? Maybe he lost his other gear before that picture was taken.

But maybe he just has a preference. Lots of athletes have weird habits. Some basketball players used to like chucks even after better shoes came along. My sister's music teacher in college preferred to use a Conn saxophone. There's no telling.

Give it up. It's not an important issue even if your objections were reasonable.

That's true, but again: Are YOU saying this is preferred method, versus having the properly designed gear along? YOU yourself (or even the people touting the duct tape) would forgo clothing and protective gear, designed for sledding, racing, skiing, etc...and use duct tape instead??

First of all, I am not the one who thinks he knows better than people who ACTUALLY DOG SLED IN ALASKA. So, I am actually defering to them on this point because i betcha they know better than someone who went skiing in tahoo once.

Second, why do you keep saying he is “forgoing clothing”? That is completely absurd ridiculous. As I said before, it sounds like duct tape was used to seal off areas of said protective clothing and gear where air could get in, which makes a hell of a lot of sense.

Duct tape is also excellent for blister prevention. I use it on very long runs and long hikes in boots that always provoke blisters.

On the face? Can't say I run fast enough to require it, but I can certainly imagine its usefulness on either a snowmobile or sled.

The full face covers that our outdoor-type commenters favor do not block the wind and since they breathe they let air in as well as out. Duct tape would seem to solve that problem. I go with the duct tape on my next dogsled race that is absolutely for sure.

Now I've read them. If I weren't so used to nonsense from jeremy, I would never have believed that anybody on earth could get so much mileage out of arguing about the proper use of duct tape in cold weather, based on no experience, no knowledge, no research, and no apparent ability to follow and comprehend links provided by others.

"At least he doesn't call a snowmobile a "snow machine", and also doesn't gush over another male like a love struck 16 yr old. If he was putting duct tape on his face, he didn't bring the appropriate covering for his face, or he forgot it."

That's what those who race them call them..."snow machines". Not snowmobiles.

Giving props to a man who pounds along for 500 miles on a SNOW MACHINE with a broken arm equals gushing like a love struck 16 year old to garage, which tells us more about him than me. No doubt a vagina man like him relates in such a fashion.

mrs whatsit said..."Now I've read them. If I weren't so used to nonsense from jeremy, I would never have believed that anybody on earth could get so much mileage out of arguing about the proper use of duct tape in cold weather, based on no experience, no knowledge, no research, and no apparent ability."

And you base this on what?

I lived in the mountains for years and have been to many parts of the world where it's just as cold as Alaska (including Alaska)...and I've never seen anyone with duct tape on their head. (Have YOU??)

I never said it doesn't work, only that it would never be the preferred method to avoid frostbite.

Why would Todd want to use tape made from ducks anyway? something is funny here. Seriously, the pictures made the face tape look like it was a seal for the goggles at the seam where goggles met parka. The air at 20 mph must seep in the cracks and hurt like hell. Fighting the cold is a war one cannot afford to lose. That attitude towards winning or else is the American attitude that European Sophistcates never will take seriously.

Dust Bunny, it doesn't take days to get frostbite. Presumably you know this and are letting Reflexive Palin Defense overwhelm common sense.

I will maintain that proper gear beats duct tape any day of the week. If someone is using duct tape to prevent frostbite, then they have either lost their protective gear, it's broken, or they have not paid attention to a weather forecast and are trying to Darwinize. It surprises me that anyone would think this a controversial point.

Michael said: " The full face covers that our outdoor-type commenters favor do not block the wind "

Not sure you meant me, but anyway...the full face cover I referred to is a two layer felt affair, with nose and mouth pieces, and is definitely wind proof versus the knit variety. WWII & Korean War GI issue...they many no longer be available. If a need arises, I'd check on Backcountry.com to see what out there now for back country "free skiers"...they're all delightfully crazy, but smart.

kyler said..."Jeremy, it's seemingly "preferred" by the man who was doing it. He's apparently had some success at his endeavors, so what's your beef?"

I have no idea if is indeed the man's "preferred" method. Only that he says it works and it's cheap. And I have said over and over again; I can understand why it would work and that it is probably cheap and useful if other methods are not available.

How do YOU know it is?

Are you actually trying to say that you think, that when they line up for the Iditarod...any of the participants are opting for duct tape as protection from the elements, versus other long proven effective methods of protection?